On Thursday morning September 29th, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) held a panel event concerning the barriers to humanitarian aid in Ethiopia. The conversation was all-encompassing, and provided viewers with an expansive overview of the humanitarian crisis taking place in not only Ethiopia, but across the Horn of Africa; as well as the bleak prognosis of the situation’s future. CSIS welcomed two panelists: Michael Dunford, Regional Director for Eastern Africa at the UN World Food Programme; and Abdullahi Boru Halakhe, Senior Advocate for East Africa at Refugees International. The event was moderated by Kimberly Flowers of the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda & Global Food Security Program.
From the outset of the call, panelists had very little, if any, positive news to share, and for good reason. The conflict in northern Ethiopia between the government and rebel groups has worn on for almost two years now. According to staggering statistics provided by Dunford, 5 million need aid, over half a million have been killed, and a total of 13 million have been negatively affected by the war. Additionally, drought and other climate changes have worsened the situation dramatically. If you include the effects of the drought, 20 million Ethiopians are being impacted by the set of crises taking place. Unfortunately, record levels of poverty and food insecurity are being seen in the entire Horn of Africa region. In the last year alone, the number of people suffering from food insecurity has increased by a factor of over 30 million people, and has now reached around 82 million. In addition to human casualties, 10 million livestock have died across the region, which is valued at $4 billion, according to Halakhe.
Following the statistic-laden outline of the conflict, Flowers guided the conversation directly towards aid. Both Dunford and Halakhe stated that the ceasefire that lasted from the spring until the end of August was a successful period of time for humanitarian aid, with Dunford saying that over 8,000 trucks full of food and supplies were able to access the war-torn area. But since the ceasefire ended, no trucks have been able to enter, and UN staff have not been able to rotate. Halakhe expanded the discourse about aid by mentioning that the largest issue in his mind is the government’s control of fuel. He claimed that there is currently aid that can be distributed, but is simply sitting idly because the Ethiopian government is using its control over fuel as a weapon. Halakhe also stressed the importance of access for getting accurate figures about the scope of the emergency, and the issue of online bank closure.
Panelists also discussed the influence, or lack thereof, of the international community. Dunford was quick to praise the efforts of the United States, which provides nearly all of the funding going to northern Ethiopia, and was also appreciative of CSIS’s efforts to raise awareness surrounding the crisis. Halakhe, and even Flowers, were far less complimentary of the international community’s efforts to involve themselves in the Ethiopian plight. Flowers was of the mind that although the U.S. has provided over $2 billion in aid, they have been far too quiet about the issue. Halakhe seemed to agree, broadening his critiques of international actors to even include the UN. He also denied the notion that the African Union (AU) would be of any help in solving the crisis, whereas Dunford suggested that while Ethiopia mostly needs to solve its own conflict, the AU could be of assistance. Halakhe was also emphatic about the importance of action now versus when East Africa is so desperate that it is in every news headline. He went on to assert that “we cannot say ‘never again’ just as a slogan” and that we have a lot of good data about the burgeoning catastrophe, but never seem to use it. Halakhe concluded by reminding everyone that although the Horn of Africa does need substantial aid, what it ultimately needs is infrastructure development.
The panel concluded its discussion by apologizing for the dour subject matter of the meeting, and expressing its hopes for better news moving forward.
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